Vanessa and Ariel got engaged on a family vacation in Long Beach, California. As Vanessa waited with family members to board a gondola at the city's quaint canals, Ariel "appeared out of nowhere with a bouquet of flowers and a ring," Vanessa recalls. "Everyone was in on the surprise except for me."

The couple whisked 40 guests away to a different beach for their October wedding more than a year later. "We decided early on that we wanted a destination wedding," Vanessa says of the couple's decision to host their fall fete in Vieques, Puerto Rico, at the posh and popular W Retreat & Spa.

Vanessa and Ariel left their reception through a tunnel of smoke and sparklers. "We felt so lucky and grateful to have our closest family and friends present for such a wonderful occasion," Vanessa says. "It went by so quickly, but it was the most fun we have ever had."